I had no particular desire to see Beetlejuice, now in previews on Broadway (it opens April 25th). Nor do I have any particular desire to say no when offered free tickets. So when the offer came for Beetlejuice – I went. The daughter was keen to join and bring a friend so I gave them my two very good comped orchestra seats and bought the cheapest ticket available 10 minutes before showtime.
I sat in the last row on the side sandwiched between one fellow lone attendee and some kids from France. This was a new experience for me – usually, I am surrounded by friends and family at these things. Interesting. I rather enjoyed my solitary viewing of this life-affirming show about death. With nothing but my own experience to consider I settled in to view the show and what a fun show! Irreverent, cheeky, spooky, fun.
The narrator/antagonist/cum protagonist is the foul-mouthed and externally egocentric, loud and conniving, but secretly just suffering from the eternal plight of loneliness: Beetlejuice. Plucked from the School of Rock stage which just recently closed in this same theater – Alex Brightman- delves into this role at full throttle and never takes his foot off the gas as this story unfolds at a furious and often hilarious and spoofy clip.
Future phenom Sophia Anne Caruso, all black lace and fresh-faced goth as the melancholy Lydia, is an absolute pleasure to watch and hear as she bravely and sadly navigates a life that no longer includes her beloved mother, but does get referenced often as “dead mom.” Yes a bit macabre, but it works.
And the stages sets! The stage sets! The “otherworldly” stage sets are a virtuoso performance unto themselves providing a Tim Burton homage of winking creativity and outsize imagination.
The teenagers who nabbed my better tickets LOVED, LOVED, LOVED the show and immediately inquired with enthusiasm “when can we see it again?”
There were some way more hardcore than me Beetlejuice fans in the audience dressed as their favorite characters. This and my daughter’s request to see it again got me to thinking as I sat solitary in my back row seat. What could be more fun experiencing Beetlejuice during everyone’s favorite spooky month? Nothing!
As such, I have placed a monster order for the matinee. This is the Sunday BEFORE Halloween. What a perfect way to grand finale your last weekend before the spooky holiday! Right!? And yes I will probably suggest we wear black. Grab the family (I think 12 and up is good – there is some language, but nothing too damaging) and JOIN. It will be scary fun. Promise!
Great info, Linda – thank you very much! If I’m in town, I’d love to go with you. I’ll let you know when we get closer to the date……
That would be so much fun!!! How did you like Gloria?